History of ABOMA
ABOMA Over the Years
1935
The idea
to form an organization which would represent the
growing rental residential multi-family building
industry in Chicago was first developed when a few
owners of fire proof apartment buildings in
Chicago met informally on April 11, 1935 at the
Knickerbocker Hotel. Following this initial informal
meeting, several additional meetings were held becoming
more formal in nature and indentifying areas of common
interest that an “association of apartments” could
effectively address for the mutual benefit of the
owners, renters and the City of Chicago.
The
Association, was organized on December 10, 1935, at the
Union League Club as result of a seven month study
made by leaders in the industry who sensed the necessity
for such a group which could function in the interest of
apartment buildings and managers in Chicago”
Purpose
In the
following months By-Laws were drafted with the stated
purpose of the Association to facilitate the interchange
of ideas in the design, construction, management,
operation and maintenance of apartment buildings; to
render advice and assistance to its members with respect
to personnel matters; to engage in collective
bargaining on behalf of those member buildings which
have designated the Association as its bargaining
representative; to consider and act with reference to
legislation, taxation and other public matters of
interest to building managers and owners; to oppose
actions which may be detrimental to the interests of
building managers and owners; and to promote the welfare
and interests of the members of the Association and the
industry by all lawful means.
Membership
The
basis of Membership being the “physical” residential
building with representation by two individuals who,
manage, own or represent ownership. The Annual
Membership Dues of $50 per furnished elevator building,
$40 per unfurnished elevator building and $15 per
Walk-up building were established.
1936
February 11,
1936 the Apartment Building Owners and Managers
Association of Chicago was incorporated under the laws
of the State of Illinois with eleven directors named.
The original Directors were: Louis C. Sudler; John L.
Cochran; Oliver S. Turner; Thomas J. Fleming; Newton C.
Farr; C. K. Hunter; Edward Lindahl; Archibald Jennings;
Gardner Brown; V.M. Welsh and A. C. Hamilton.
1937
1st Annual
Meeting
Friday, April 23, 1937 in the Rose Room of
Great Northern Hotel the members gathered for the First
Annual Meeting. The first elected ABOMA officers were:
President Louis C. Sudler (Sudler and Company); 1st Vice
President John L. Cochran (Cochran & McCluer, Co.); 2nd
Vice President Oliver S. Turner (Baird & Warner); 3rd
Vice President Thomas J. Fleming (Ross & Brown) and
Treasurer Glen C. McBride.
Two milestone
actions were taken at the meeting:
First Lease Form
A new lease form for industry use was approved. Over
time this initial lease has been modified, updated and
transformed into the ABOMA Form C Unfurnished
Condominium Lease specifically designed to meet
the City of Chicago of Chicago Tenant and Landlord
ordinance. This Lease has become the “standard” for use
in condominium unit rentals.
First Collective Bargaining
Agreement
The Association and Elevator
Operators and Starters Union Local 66 agreed to enter
into a Labor Agreement covering employees in Member
Buildings, thus began the 76 years of ABOMA negotiating
industry wide collective bargaining agreements. A
keystone of the very first agreement was the “favored
employer” clause which protected ABOMA Members from more
beneficial independent contracts. This keystone clause
is still include in all ABOMA Collective Bargaining
Agreements.
Over time this important membership
privilege has expanded to included 4 separated contracts
with SEIU Local 1 covering janitorial employees in both
High Rise and Walk –Up Residential Buildings, Door
& Receiving Room Employees and with Teamsters Local 727
Garage Employees. Participation in the ABOMA Collective
Bargaining Agreements is only available to Member
Buildings.
Many initial member buildings have
been replaced with modern structures. However, it is
noteworthy that: *3300 Lake Shore Drive Building
Corporation, 209 Lake Shore Drive Building Corporation,
1320 North State Street, 1530 North State Parkway,
1500 Lake Shore Drive and 232 East Walton Place became
members in 1937—and have continued membership for 76
years!
Today ABOMA has over 600 Buildings in
Membership. Rental, condominium and co-operative
buildings alike. ABOMA's member buildings
contain over 400,000 units with some 600,000 owners and
residents.
1976
The ABOMA By-Laws were amended increasing the number of
Directors to 21 and the name changed to the Apartment
Building Owners and Managers Association of Illinois in
order to expand the association’s service area.
1991
ABOMA added
as new classification of membership “Supplier Members”.
Organizations who provide goods and services to the
Multi Family Residential Industry. The number of
supplier members was set to not exceed twenty-five
percent (25%) of the number of building members. The
four original members in 1992 were Central Building and
Preservation, L.P., Clarence Davids & Co., Titan
Security Services, Inc. and Universal Laundries, LLC who
have supported ABOMA through membership for the past 21
years. Today ABOMA has 71 Supplier Members, all listed
in this publication.
1996
ABOMA/SEIU
Training Center Established
ABOMA jointly with SEUI
Local 1 indentified the need for
implementation of continuing education for building
staff. As a result of this meeting of the minds the
ABOMA SEIU Local 1 Training Fund and facility was
established. It was first funded by Federal and Union
grants. Today funding for the training program is
derived from both grants and employer contributions.
Training is available to both janitorial and door staff
employees with some courses including building
management personnel.
ABOMA TODAY
Investment as an ABOMA Building Member entitles you to
participate in Association Labor Agreements, Programs,
Events and Functions. Membership also provides access to
ABOMA Supplier Members, other owners, building managers
and building management operational tools.
As
established in 1937, the basis for Building Membership
in the association is a “physical” residential building
whether it is condominium, cooperative or rental
in nature. Each member building is entitled to two
(2) representatives, a primary representative and an
alternate representative who act on behalf of the
building. Only Building Members may be part and
party to the Labor Contracts negotiated by the
Association.
The Association objectives continue to
be:
· To facilitate the exchange of ideas
regarding the design, construction, management,
operations, and maintenance of high rise residential
buildings;
· To render advice and assistance to its
members with respect to personnel matters;
· To
engage in collective bargaining on behalf of member
buildings which have designated the Association as its
bargaining representative;
· To consider and act with
reference to legislation, taxation, and other public
matters of interest to building managers and owners;
· To oppose actions which may be detrimental to the
interests of building managers and owners;
· To
promote the welfare and interest of the members of the
Association and industry by all lawful means.
Industry Labor Agreements
It is important to note that participation in ABOMA
labor agreements is available at no cost to ABOMA
Members. Non-members cannot participate and must deal
alone and directly with each union. All ABOMA Labor
Agreements include a “favored employer” clause (which
means that non-members and those buildings who deal
direct with the union are not be able to get a more
favorable contact with out the Union offering it to all
ABOMA Members).
Arbitration Process
An Arbitration Process to
assist members in settling labor disputes is included in
all ABOMA Labor Agreements. ABOMA provides
and administers the Arbitration process at no cost to
Members.
ABOMA maintains and administers 4
separate labor Agreements
SEIU Local 1 –
Building Services Division
Three year contract –
December 1, 2011 through November 30, 2014– covering
janitorial employees in high rise residential Buildings.
Three year contract – December 1, 2009 through
November 30, 2012 – covering doormen and receiving room
employees in high-rise residential buildings.
Three year contract – December 1, 2011 through November
30, 2014– covering janitorial employees in walk-up
residential Buildings.
Teamsters Local 727
Five year contract – November 1, 2011 through October
31, 2016 covering parking garage employees in high rise
residential buildings.
ABOMA Building Management
Tools
ABOMA
Condominium Lease Forms
The ABOMA Form C
Unfurnished Condominium Unit lease form, which is
specifically designed for leasing unfurnished
residential condominium units and meets all the
requirements of the City of Chicago Landlord - Tenant
Ordinance is another benefit of membership and is offer
at a discounted price to members This Lease form
is the “standard” for many member buildings and is
widely recognized as “THE” lease form for use in
condominium unit rentals.
Employee Attendance and
Disciplinary Records
This valuable management
tool is available from the ABOMA Office. Through
the use of this form – Which is Keyed to the ABOMA Labor
Agreements – a permanent record of daily
attendance with monthly/annual summaries, wage scales,
eligibility for time off, supplies issued and
disciplinary action can be maintained for each building
employee. The form has been designed for easy use.
It is printed on both sides in light green ink on card
stock and is punched to fit a standard three ring
binder.
ABOMA
Degree Day Analysis with Utilities Comparison
The Degree Day Analysis is a bulletin published on the
first day of each month which provides members with
monthly degree day information in relation to data from
10 prior years along with current rates for natural gas,
and water/sewer prices in Chicago. This bulletin is
invaluable for calculating your building's energy needs.
ABOMA CBA’S and
Publications
These electronic publications can
be downloaded from the ABOMA web site at www.aboma.com
in Adobe Acrobat format are “searchable” by key
words and contain:
· ABOMA/SEIU Local 1 Doormen
Agreement 12/1/2013-12/30/2016
· ABOMA/SEIU Local 1
High Rise Janitorial Agreement 2011-2014
· ABOMA/SEIU
Local 1 Walk Up Janitorial Agreement 2011-2014
· ABOMA/TEAMSTERS Local 727 Parking Garage Labor
Agreement 2011-2016
· Key Issues in
Hiring-Disciplining-Terminating Employees
· Substance
Abuse Policy and Guidelines
Both authored by ABOMA Labor Counsel—Steve Adelman,
Locke Lord, LLP
ABOMA’s Website provides
current information on programs, labor agreements,
employee training, supplier members, “feed back” &
comment section and acts as your “gateway” for making
reservations for ABOMA Programs and Events.